Dream vs Scream
by This Is
Summary: Rachel Berry - Puck doesn't know whether to dream or scream.
1. Chapter 1

**Dream vs Scream**

by

**This Is**

**Chapter 1**

"What are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?" responded Rachel with an exasperated sigh.

When he continued glaring at her, she elaborated.

"I'm practicing my steps Noah. Our next performance is tonight, you know that."

He scoffed at her choice of word - performance. She was the only person he knew who would call it that. As she jumped into the air, he couldn't help but notice the way her top stuck to her, or the way her skirt floated up, giving him the tiniest glimpse of her underwear. He found himself swallowing, hard. This was bad - really bad.

"So what, you're a Cheerio now?"

* * *

Before he knew it, it was game time. Slipping on his shirt, he sighed in frustration. He tried not to, but throughout the day, and now once again, his thoughts drifted to Rachel Berry. Why I am thinking about her? he thought angrily. Sure, she looked hot in that outfit, but that didn't mean he wanted to be her friend. Or more.

"Now gentleman, I want you to go out there and WIN!" yelled Tanaka.

As Puck and Finn made their way out onto the field to warm up for the game, Finn stopped suddenly. Puck followed his eye-line, and found the reason Finn was staring, drooling almost. Rachel Berry. Giving him a not-so friendly push, he spoke.

"Can you believe it man? Berry, a Cheerio?"

"Quinn asked her," said Finn quickly, snapping out of his daze.

"Quinn _hates _Berry."

"I don't know man," shrugged Finn. "All she said was they needed a replacement. Quinn's been helping her with the steps."

"And Slyvester agreed?"

"I guess so. If they want to win, they need her."

Both watched as Rachel jumped into the air, cheering along with Britney and Santana. Rachel looked over at them, and gave Finn a small smile.

"She's good," noted Finn in an admiring tone that Puck found himself disliking.

Shaking himself out of it, he gave Finn another shove.

"Let's go dude - Tanaka's gonna have a fit if we don't warm up properly."

Stretching, Puck tried to not think about Rachel Berry. What was she doing there? It was driving him mad. And Slyvester had to have an ulterior motive in letting Rachel on the squad, he thought. Sure, she might be good for the squad, but she was a gleek through and through, _not _a Cheerio.

* * *

  
**A/N - Hey guys! So I know it's a **_**really **_**short first chapter, but I hope you like it so far! I'm not sure when I can next update, but hopefully it'll be soon! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey guys, thanks so much for all the reviews and alerts - you're all so awesome! Here's the next chapter - please r&r - hope you enjoy!**

**

* * *

  
Chapter 2**

"Jesus dude, focus!" yelled Puck.

What the hell was he doing? Finn had missed the ball, again. They were bad enough as it was already, and with Finn acting as he was, they might as well not even try.

Suddenly the siren sounded, and the other team erupted into a loud cheer. They had lost. Again.

"Great," said Puck, his jaw clenching.

"What's wrong man, we always lose, but you're never this uptight about it."

"Forget it," Puck responded.

He went to walk away, but Berry appeared out of nowhere. Was she stalking them now?

"You played fantastic tonight."

"I always play fantastic," he quipped.

She rolled her eyes. "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Finn."

"Doesn't mean I'm not fantastic."

He found himself enjoying ed the way they glared at each other, practically daring each other to continue.

"Rachel?" said a voice behind them, and they turned. Some random guy was standing there, with stupid hair, Puck noted. How did he know Berry? He didn't think it possible, but she broke out into an even bigger smile than he'd ever seen, and pushed past Puck to talk to this guy. Who was he anyway?

"What are you doing here?" she said, as Puck and Finn watched her threw her arms around him.

"Susie's cheering tonight. But what are you doing? And what are you wearing?"

"I'm a Cheerio now," she smiled, giving her pom-poms a shake.

"I don't believe it," he laughed.

"You're not the only one," commented Puck under his breath.

Rachel turned back and glared at him. Puck couldn't help but smirk back.

"Who's your boyfriend?" he asked, the smirk still planted on his face.

"Grow up," she retorted, scowling at him.

Dan laughed, and gave Rachel a friendly squeeze.

"Hey I'm really sorry, but I gotta go. It was great seeing you."

"Yes, you too!"

"Are you okay getting home?"

She nodded. "I just have to call my dad's."

"We can give you a lift home if you like Berry."

Puck couldn't believe it. Did he actually say that out loud? Why? At least Finn was nodding in agreement, so he didn't feel like a complete idiot.

"Thank you," she responded, with a somewhat shocked face. "That would be nice."

"Ride's this way," he said, walking off.

Hearing the guy tell Berry to call him, Puck couldn't help but roll his eyes. Dumping his stuff in the back of his car, he jumped into the driver's seat, and waited impatiently for Finn and Berry to join him.

"You and that guy seem pretty close," he heard Finn say, as the two reached the boot.

"His name is Daniel Thornton," Rachel replied. "Our parents work together."

There was a pause, and when Finn spoke, Puck could tell Finn was nervous.

"He's not your boyfriend?"

"No," Rachel replied, and glancing at side view mirror, Puck swore she was blushing. "He's just a friend. And he has a girlfriend. She's the head cheerleader."

Puck groaned.

"Come on," he yelled out. "I don't have all night."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Just wanted to say a huge thank you once again for your reviews and alerts - you rock! I also finally worked out what I'm doing with this story - it'll end up being a short one - most likely only 4 or 5 chapters left, including this one. Just to set the scene too, Rachel & Puck didn't date. Please read & review - hope you enjoy! :)**

**Chapter 3**

"You're still on Ferrier Street right?" Puck asked Berry, as she and Finn hurried into his car - Finn in the front, Berry in the back.

"Yes," she said, nodding.

"So there's a party tonight at Mike's house," said Finn, happily. "You should come."

Puck glared at Finn. He felt stupid enough asking about the lift home, but this was worse.

"She's a Cheerio now, she should come."

"I don't know," she said hesitantly.

"Please Rach," pleaded Finn. "You can be my date for the night."

Puck turned to Finn, and then to Berry - the way they were looking at each other, it's as if Finn was cheating on Quinn right then and there. He's got this great girl, and he's throwing it away for Berry?

"What about Quinn?" Puck asked angrily.

Finn quickly went red and mumbled an explanation.

"She's staying with her grandparents this weekend. And I didn't mean a _date_ date."

"Of course," she replied, giving a small smile.

That seemed to be the end of the discussion, and Puck was more than happy about it. They eventually made it to her house, and wordlessly she began to get out of the car.

"Wait," said Finn, and Berry stopped.

Finn glanced at Puck. He was giving him a weird look.

"What dude?" asked Puck. He didn't go for all these secret glances and hidden meanings.

"Don't you think Rachel should come?"

Puck looked at Berry, and she was staring back at him for answer. Questioning whether he thought she should go or not. I can't believe I'm about to say this, he thought.

"You should come."

He also told himself he didn't like the way Berry broke out into a smile when he said those words - as if what he said meant something to her. More like she was happy to spend time with her precious Finn.

"We'll pick you up in an hour," Finn said, getting out to help her with her bag.

"Excellent," she beamed. "And thank you for the lift Noah."

They both watched as she entered her house, not before giving them a small wave.

"What the hell?" Puck said, when Finn got back into the car.

"She's actually really nice once you get to know her."

"Yeah well she makes me want to scream."

* * *

Puck pulled up at Berry's house for the second time that night, his hand on the horn. Shaking his head, he wondered how this had happened. He never in a million years would have thought that tonight he'd be driving _Rachel Berry _to a party at Mike's house.

"Hello Noah," she said, suddenly appearing by the car, startling him.

"Jesus.. " he began but then stopped dead when he saw her. Saw what she was wearing. Saw how hot she looked.

And then something else caught his eye, around her neck.

"You're Jewish?"

"Yes," she answered, caught off guard by his question, and went to the back door.

"Sit in the front," his said, shaking himself out of it.

"What about Finn?"

"He said he had to help his Mum with something, but she's going to drop him off later."

"Oh," she said, getting into the front seat. Damn that dress, Puck thought.

"Well thank you for the lift, I appreciate it."

"Don't mention it."

As he drove towards Mike's house, he couldn't help but glance over at her. She was so tiny, he realised.

"Mike lives here?" Rachel asked, her mouth gaping, when they had reached his house. It was more like a mansion, the place was huge.

"Yeah," Puck replied, grabbing the six pack of beer from the back seat. He started making his way up the driveway, but realised Rachel was still by the car. When did I begin calling her Rachel? he thought.

"You coming or not Berry?" he asked, sounding harsher than he meant.

"Yes, of course. It's just this is all new to me," she said, taking a deep breath. She's nervous, he realised.

"It's just people from school," Puck reasoned.

"I know those people in there are your friends, but to me, they are people that have teased and slushied me my entire high school life."

In that instant, he felt ashamed. He used to be one of those people.

"No one has slushied you in months."

He'd knew that was fact - since he himself had joined Glee, he'd made sure of it.

"Just because they've stopped Noah, doesn't make the pain go away."


End file.
